Combine
The Combine, abbreviated as CMB, and referred to in propaganda as "Our Benefactors", is an immense and powerful inter-dimensional organization. Comprised of both allied and enslaved species, the Combine's collective goal is to dominate and absorb the Multiverse into its inter-dimensional empire; the Universal Union. Overview .]] The Combine Empire sprawls across multiple parallel universes, and includes an unknown number of sentient species. Details of the Combine's leadership and administrative structure remain unknown. Aliens called the Advisors are responsible for facilitating and overseeing all communication and interaction with the enslaved race. The Combine manipulates species through a variety of means, including bioengineering and artificial implantation. The products of the Combine's re-engineering process are known as "synths", bio-mechanical organisms that serve a variety of functions within the empire. The Combine also their technology to create armies of super-soldiers, uniquely adapted to the particular environments of the conquered worlds. This process results in a highly mobile and adaptive military force which is able to respond to any threat and crush any opposition. Combine military technology The Combine use the technological growth of other civilizations against them. Weapons, vehicles and other technology are assimilated into the Combine armory; the Overwatch utilizes Earth's small arms, armored personnel carriers, trains, and helicopters, often re-designing them for greater efficiency. Most of Combine's military units on Earth are either Human or originated from Humans, like Overwatch Soldiers. Other vehicles and machines used by the Combine are clearly of non-human origin; examples of this are the Strider and the Gunship, both of which are derived from living creatures that are possibly Transbeings of other enslaved civilizations. Combine Overwatch The primary military force of the Combine on Earth is the Combine Overwatch (referred to by Doctor Breen as the "Transhuman arm of the Combine Overwatch", although he could be referring to the entire Combine military presence on earth as the Overwatch and the ranks including modified humans are the Transhuman arm.): humans who have been modified into "Transhuman" cyborgs. Although primarily used on Earth, it is mentioned that they are also deployed to other Combine territories throughout the empire, whether willingly or as punishment. It is important to note that Civil Protection units are not hybrids and are in fact, human. *'Civil Protection:' The quasi thought-police that patrols the cities, monitor the public airways, and conduct randomized raids. *'Overwatch Soldier:' The main military of the Combine on Earth. Soldiers patrol and enforce Combine law outside of the city boundaries. It includes the Shotgun Soldier and the Nova Prospekt Prison Guard. *'Overwatch Elite:' The Elite soldiers of the Combine Overwatch. They have undergone extensive modifications and are seen occasionally leading squads of regular soldiers. *'Stalker:' Mutilated, drone-like slaves that are created from dissidents and captured beings. Combine Synth Synths are creatures that, over a course of imposed evolution and alteration by the Combine, have come to fit a particular niche in the Combine military. Once self-replicating organic creatures that originated from different worlds, they were enslaved and assimilated into the Combine to become the backbone of their military. Various types of Synth have been brought over to Earth by the Combine. It is likely that Synths were the primary forces used by the Combine during the Seven Hour War, as the human-derived Combine units, as well as technology such as hunter-choppers and APCs, would have only been developed after the Combine's rule on Earth had been established. Combine Combat Technology The Combine employs numerous devices and weapons that are used in the day-to-day policing and surveillance of the general populace. Some of these are merely human inventions that have been re-designed by the Combine to better suit their purposes, while others are either original, or re-designed technology of other civilizations. *'Manhack:' Essentially, a flying, autonomous circular saw capable of tracking targets. *'Rollermine:' A ball-shaped 'mine' with a rudimentary targeting system that, once activated, follows anything it identifies as a threat and subjects it to electric shocks. *'Hopper Mine:' A programmable explosive device that hops into the air and explodes when approached by an enemy. *'City Scanner:' A flying security camera and scout that takes pictures of enemies and relays their location to its command center. Also "dive-bombs" its target if subject to enough incoming fire. Occasionally used as a spotter for Striders. *'Sentry Gun, Ceiling Turret and Ground Turret:' Programmable, autonomous sentry weapons. *'APCs:' The main mode of transport of Civil Protection, is a common sight within the cities. They are armed with a missile launcher and a mounted pulse rifle. *'Hunter-Chopper:' Piloted by two members of the Overwatch, this vehicle is primarily used to track down solitary members of the Resistance, or small groups of Resistance soldiers. Heavily armed and armored, it features a pulse cannon and can saturate an area with mines. * Razor Trains - Combine trains made to transfer Combine Troops, supplies, and prisoners to locations. * Headcrab Shell - They deploy in the resistance outpost and base areas, especially in the Uprising as it is a very common sight in City 17 and the Outland. * Sky Shield - Referred to in Overwatch radio chatter, "Sky Shield" is some sort of military surveillance technology used by the Combine. Overwatch soldiers report their target or are given targets through "Sky Shield", which may be a satellite array of some sort. Combine Architecture Most examples of Combine structures are very large and imposing, with very blocky, monolithic shapes with sharp angles made of a dull, blue-gray metal. Various tubes, wires, and pipes can be seen running throughout gaps in the walls and down along corridors and tunnels. Their buildings are purely functional with no thought given for aesthetics or comfort, with no embellishments or decorations shown save the occasional sign or Combine logo, and bright but sparsely-placed artificial lights create harsh, dark shadows throughout the Combines' complexes. Steep, deep drops and platforms lacking guardrails are common too; most likely due to the Advisors' ability to fly and thus having no need for bridges, although bridges can be seen in places where Combine soldiers move and operate; another example of the Combine's assimilation of human technologies. Alternate Universe Versions Inferno Regime-Verse During the Regime War, the Combine enslaved many planets belonging to Hester's Regime. Regime forces soon retaliated, resulting in the Regime-Combine War. The Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance and the United Galaxy Space Force intervened, driving out the Combine forces. The Combine had also run-ins with the Systems Commonwealth and its High Guard, the Sentient Milieu, the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za and its Hierachy of Battle Thralls, the Kohr-Ah, the Arilou Lalee'lay, the Orz, the Slylandro, the Lurg, the Mycon, the Thraddash, the Ilwrath, the Supox, the Utwig, the Yehat, the Shofixti, the Pkunk, the VUX, the Umgah and the Spathi.